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Seven out of 10 drivers believed that allowing officers to confiscate the phone for a month (71 per cent) or locking the user out of the phone for a month (70 per cent).

Currently, drivers can who are caught using their phone behind the wheel can land a £200 fine and six points.

Likewise, three-fifths of drivers said that not having access to the phone for a week either through confiscation or locked access would deter drivers more (63 per cent and 61 per cent respectively).

In addition to this, over half of respondents (52 per cent) said that drivers should be named or shamed by a text being sent to all of their contacts which have been caught using their phone.

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Since the penalties for a phone driving fine was changed in 2017 the number of offenders had reduced by half during the 12 months following the change, according to the AA.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “The police do have powers to seize cars driven without insurance and it seems a majority of drivers think similar policies towards using hand-held phones would be effective.

“The survey just goes to show the strength of public opinion that using your phone behind the wheel is socially unacceptable and should be treated severely.

“Doubling the fine and points seems to have encouraged some drivers to leave their phones alone.

The survey of 20,000 drivers found the majority backing the proposal (Image: GETTY)